20 Years Ago Options

[Phil_D11102]

On Sept 11th 1992, the United States Air Force officially ended it's presence at RAF Greenham Common. With one potential enemy no longer on the horizon, no one could see the two new potential enemies waiting in the wings. One was those who think they can push their agenda's on unarmed civilians, and caused the largest terrorist attack up to this point just 9 years after the USAF left RAF Greenham Common.

The second enemy has been what I see as the the economic downfall of the area. While there has been no published reports on the subject, has the local area been as prosperous as it had been during the years of 1951 to 1992, and in particular onward from 1979.

Personally I don't think the town has been the same vibrant place when the USAF where here, and I am speaking in terms of jobs and money being spent in the local area in goods and services.

As an American I fell in love with the local area, but I think something is greatly lacking.

[Biker1]

If Greenham had stayed we may now be looking at London's next airport.
(I seem to remember it was proposed more than once?)
Whether that's a good or bad thing is open to debate.

[Blake]

I agree Phil. I think both culturally and economically, things have slipped.

The Air Force was a great neighbour to the people of West Berkshire and is much missed.

[Biker1]

I agree Phil. I think both culturally and economically, things have slipped.

Is that not the case for many districts though?
I am not sure it is all due to the closure of the Base.

[blackdog]

I agree Phil. I think both culturally and economically, things have slipped.

I disagree, Newbury boomed after the US left - mainly down to Vodafone's success - and culturally there seems far more going on these days. There has been a bit of a downturn in recent years, but Newbury seems to be riding out the recession far more successfully than most places.

[dannyboy]

I agree Blackdog.

I can't see ( other than getting a MacDonalds early ) how having a USAF base on the doorstep helped the local economy more than the business park we have now.

The military & service personal are notoriously insular.

[stewiegriffin]

Seems to me that Newbury is a more prosperous place than it was 20 years ago, even after the recent downturn.

As for culture, what exactly did the US do for the area in that sense? I knew the base better than most back then (I was there quite often at the bowling alley amongst other things), and from what I remember the typical US servicemans social life was spent mostly on the base itself, which was very much a 'Little America' They even used the Dollar as currency.

Certainly a few Americans joined in with life in the local area, but most just used Newbury for general shopping purposes.

I don't see that Newbury lost much, if anything, when the Americans left.

[dannyboy]

Seems to me that Newbury is a more prosperous place than it was 20 years ago, even after the recent downturn.

As for culture, what exactly did the US do for the area in that sense? I knew the base better than most back then (I was there quite often at the bowling alley amongst other things), and from what I remember the typical US servicemans social life was spent mostly on the base itself, which was very much a 'Little America' They even used the Dollar as currency.

Certainly a few Americans joined in with life in the local area, but most just used Newbury for general shopping purposes.

I don't see that Newbury lost much, if anything, when the Americans left.

A mate of mine had a dad who worked up at the base every so often. My mate was very proud of the American stuff his dad was able to buy for his son's lunch box on site......

[Andy Capp]

Air Tatoos. I miss them a lot.

[Biker1]

Air Tatoos. I miss them a lot.

So do I
They were great - The Harriers, the Lightening & the Vulcan!!
I knew a hole in the fence where you could sneak in!!

[Andy Capp]

So do I
They were great - The Harriers, the Lightening & the Vulcan!!

And the Starfighters.

[dannyboy]

And the Starfighters.

I remember a F104 of the Luftwaffe seeing just how much noise a jet engine can make circa 1982....

[Penelope]

And the Starfighters.

Ah yes, the good old widow maker.

[JeffG]

They were great - The Harriers, the Lightening & the Vulcan!!

When I was a member of the local gliding club some years ago, I remember a (the?) Vulcan coming past the airfield fairly low. As he went past, he gave us a wing-up salute. Awesome moment.

[Penelope]

When I was a member of the local gliding club some years ago, I remember a (the?) Vulcan coming past the airfield fairly low. As he went past, he gave us a wing-up salute. Awesome moment.

And they make the same noise you get when you set fire to a goblin! Makes all the hair on your body stand on end.

[Phil_D11102]

Seems to me that Newbury is a more prosperous place than it was 20 years ago, even after the recent downturn.

As for culture, what exactly did the US do for the area in that sense? I knew the base better than most back then (I was there quite often at the bowling alley amongst other things), and from what I remember the typical US servicemans social life was spent mostly on the base itself, which was very much a 'Little America' They even used the Dollar as currency.

Certainly a few Americans joined in with life in the local area, but most just used Newbury for general shopping purposes.

I don't see that Newbury lost much, if anything, when the Americans left.

I think you will find the majority of the American started their evenings off base, and then went on base as the club was open later. The majority of dining was done off base as there was limited places to eat, unless you had a BBQ. Alot of Americans enjoyed life off base, not jsut a few. Yes, the currency on the base was dollars, but all the facilities took sterling as well.

I disagree, Newbury boomed after the US left - mainly down to Vodafone's success - and culturally there seems far more going on these days. There has been a bit of a downturn in recent years, but Newbury seems to be riding out the recession far more successfully than most places.

Funny how much/little *fone pumps into the local economy in terms of sponsorship and taxes.

I can't see ( other than getting a MacDonalds early ) how having a USAF base on the doorstep helped the local economy more than the business park we have now.

The military & service personal are notoriously insular.

Do you think the number of people employed at the business park has increased since the USAF/MOD has left. The telephone bill for the base was around a million quid a quarter. There was much more money being spent on goods, services and salaries before.

How many less charity events for the local organizations are there since the USAF left?

As for being insular, we did wear our protective gear off base.. :-)

[Penelope]

I agree Blackdog.

I can't see ( other than getting a MacDonalds early ) how having a USAF base on the doorstep helped the local economy more than the business park we have now.

The military & service personal are notoriously insular.

I can remember being in the swan one night when an American couple walked in and tried to order a lite beer, all the locals sniggered and turned their backs. No wonder we saw so few of them.

[Nothing Much]

Hard to say what an airbase does to a sleepy bit of the countryside. I quote Norfolk as a sleepy bit.
The county being called flat was host to WW2 airmen. All the pubs near strands of concrete,now chicken pens,
have pictures signed by crews who made it home to apple pie with mom.

We still have Lakenheath and Mildenhall. Sculthorpe used to be a missile base before cruise..
I am pretty sure it is still used.You can't see the field at all. In a valley, yes but we have not many hills.

Lakenheath and Mildenhall are close .They have been doing some pretty intensive work these last few years.
I think defensive, no rising bollards involved.
Brandon is a local town to both, noted as the car crime capitol of Norfolk.
Probably because the locals know where the keys of the Mustang will be.

This is a bit of a ramble. But the thread seemed open ended.....

My place, I sometimes visit, is under the flightpath to RAF Marham where the latest RAF JSF will it seems be based.
I look forward to that.

Back to the point.Have incomers helped in certain circumstances?
Well it is a very big book. And have others helped much either over the centuries..
The US tried to take Hong Kong but a sharp officer was already there in charge.
ce

[Adrian Hollister]

It's bad enough that we were economically conquered by the US, but being occupied as well... bout time they all went home. All Greenham did was put Newbury on target with almost every nuclear attack strategy from the USSR. We would have been hit with up to 2 x 200kt ground level bursts and 2 x 350kt 5750ft bursts. Enough to render unsurvivable from as far north as Oxford, South as Basingstoke, and East to Heathrow.

[Andy Capp]

It's bad enough that we were economically conquered by the US, but being occupied as well... bout time they all went home. All Greenham did was put Newbury on target with almost every nuclear attack strategy from the USSR. We would have been hit with up to 2 x 200kt ground level bursts and 2 x 350kt 5750ft bursts. Enough to render unsurvivable from as far north as Oxford, South as Basingstoke, and East to Heathrow.

In that eventuality, I couldn't think of any where better in England to be. We already had Aldermaston, which would have made us a target even if the USAF weren't here.